The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has called for greater collaboration among Sahel and West African countries on information and data sharing to ensure effective border control.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Summit on Border Security in London on Tuesday, Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for stronger international partnerships to combat irregular migration and organized immigration crimes.
“There is a need for collaboration among countries in the Sahel and West African sub-region for better international partnerships and information dissemination,” Tunji-Ojo said, stressing the importance of proactive measures to address border security challenges.
He further added, “We need more data sharing and better collaborations to ensure we don’t just solve the problem but prevent it from occurring in the first place.”
Naijaonpoint reports that Tunji-Ojo highlighted that the key takeaway from the summit was a shift towards proactiveness in addressing border security, with a growing emphasis on criminalizing irregular migration.
He explained, “Countries are now more poised to criminalize irregular migration, and this summit provides a great opportunity for ministers in charge of border control to ensure we effectively manage our borders and secure our countries.”
Tunji-Ojo also spoke about Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to secure its borders, stating that immigration crimes are a global issue, but with collaborative efforts, solutions can be found.
He further explained, “Nigeria has a border control solution because we are not just a destination point. We have automated our solutions, and there are more measures in place to ensure our borders are secure and irregular migration is brought to an end.”
The minister reassured that with the support of international cooperation, Nigeria would remain committed to combating immigration crimes.
“We can’t afford to lose the battle before we start it, and with summits like this, as a united front, we will effectively combat this menace,” Tunji-Ojo concluded.
The UK-hosted summit on border security gathered over 30 global leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. The summit provided a platform to discuss critical issues surrounding border control and organized immigration crime.
51 Illegal Immigrants Arrested In Nasarawa State
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced the arrest of 51 illegal immigrants in Nasarawa State. According to the NIS, the illegal immigrants, all from Mali, were apprehended in the New Nyanya area of Karu Local Government Area, aged between 17 and 25.
The NIS Public Relations Officer, A.S. Akinlabi, confirmed the arrests, stating, “The illegal migrants, 11 of whom are female and 40 male, were arrested following credible intelligence.”
He added that preliminary investigations suggest that the migrants might have been victims of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Akinlabi stated that the arrested individuals had no valid travel documents or residence permits during questioning. The migrants have been taken into NIS custody, where they are currently undergoing further profiling and investigation.